EuCon
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EuCon is the annual convention in Europe of fans of the rock band Rush.
Originally called the UK Rush Convention it has been held in England annually since its inception on 14th July 1996. It was the brainchild of Mick Burnett, formerly editor of Spirit of Rush fanzine who passed away in 2002. In the early years the event was held at Leicester University before moving to its spiritual home, The Limelight Club in Crewe.
After Burnett's passing in the summer of 2002 the event that autumn was organised by Janet Balmer, co-editor of Spirit of Rush fanzine, as a tribute to Mick. Many thousands of pounds was raised by auctioning off vast swathes of Burnett's Rush collection.
In 2003 the annual gathering of Rush fans became known as EuCon - a name given by that year's organisers Stewart Gilray (founder of European Rush fan website The National Midday Sun, or TNMS for short) and Simon Frazer-Clark. In 2004 EuCon happened at Birmingham NEC on the same day Rush played the venue on their R30 30th Anniversary tour.
After a brief stay in Leeds in 2005 EuCon returned to The Limelight for 2006. Guest speaker Donna Halper flew in from Boston to talk about her involvement with Rush in their formative years. £3000 was raised for charity, including a £2750 donation to Hope Hospital's Neurological High Dependency Unit.
The event is now organised by long-term Rush fan and festival organiser Ashley Davidson.
In 2007 EuCon will be held in the month of October. An announcement about the exact date and location is expected shortly.
[edit] The Event
EuCon usually runs from midday until the early hours of the following morning. In previous years a Rush covers band has headlined the event (these bands have included The Jack Secret Show, YYZ, 2112 and Counterparts). There is a karaoke and a raffle, with prizes donated by Rush's management and record companies (Anthem and Atlantic: including highly desirable gold discs) as well as companies associated with Rush such as Promark drumsticks, Sabian cymbals and Sanctuary Records (who release their DVDs in the UK). Rush videos play on big screens throughout the day. The event is best known for offering a convivial atmosphere in which fans of the band can meet and socialize. A lot of alcohol is usually consumed.
